GRANTS TO DEVELOP "WILD SCHOOL SITES" AVAILABLE THROUGH ODNR: OH

Article Posted: January 23, 2004

Project WILD-certified educators may apply to create outdoorclassrooms on their school grounds

COLUMBUS, OH -- Ohio teachers who have successfully usedProject WILD in their classrooms can now provide students additionalhands-on learning about wildlife and habitat through grants available fromthe Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Ten grants of $500 each will go to schools currentlyparticipating in Project WILD, a supplemental environmental educationcurriculum for grades K-12. Project WILD uses wildlife and wildlifemanagement techniques to teach traditional school subjects such as math,science and language arts. Teachers can use the new grant money formaterials, equipment and activities to develop "Wild School Sites" on theircampuses. "A 'Wild School Site' project allows teachers to take lessonplans outdoors, helping bring environmental education concepts to life in areal way for students," said Jen Dennison, wildlife education coordinatorfor the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "An added benefit is improvement of theschoolyard habitat for wildlife and people."The grants are competitive in nature and will be awarded toapplicants that best meet the Wild School Site criteria. That criteriaincludes feasibility of the project, benefit to students in understandingthe needs of wildlife in Ohio, and participation of students, teachers,staff and the community at large in the development and upkeep of the site. Funding for the "Wild School Site" grant program comes fromstate income tax check-off donations to the Wildlife Diversity Fund and feesgenerated from the sale of cardinal license plates.Interested educators should submit an application before May31 to the ODNR Division of Wildlife, 1840 Belcher Drive, Bldg. G, Columbus,Ohio 43224-1300. Details of the program and an application can be found onthe division's web page at ohiodnr.com .